Bird Control Legislation

Central to any bird control activity is the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). However the law does recognise that in certain circumstances, control of a nuisance bird species is necessary.

The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

The Act states that a person will be liable for prosecution if they:

kill, injure or take any wild bird

take, damage or destroy the nest of a wild bird included in Schedule ZA1

take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that nest is in use or being built, or

take or destroy an egg of any wild bird

Whether intentional or unintentional you can be liable and fined if you do not adhere to the legislation. It is essential that you seek expert advice if you believe there is a risk bird nesting could impact your business. Understanding bird behaviour and implementing an effective control method can be complex. It is essential that anyone looking to remove nests and/or deal with nuisance birds obtains advice from an experienced ‘bird’ expert rather than a general pest controller.

If you have any question regarding nuisance or nesting birds, talk to your local NBC bird control expert by calling freephone 0333 567 2020.

How is NBC able to provide bird control for nuisance birds?

In some situations it is possible to carry out bird control operations under an exemption, the ‘General Licence’ which can be relied upon if the following criterion is observed:

Good reason. Preserve Public Health or Public Safety, Prevent serious damage or disease or flight safety.

You are authorised to do so by the owner or occupier of the land or property.

The owner or occupier is satisfied that appropriate legal methods of resolving the problem such as scaring and proofing are either ineffective or impracticable.

Licence conditions vary for England, Scotland and Wales but as part of our service our teams will guide you, provide advice and if necessary liaise with the relevant bodies – Natural England, Scottish National Heritage and Welsh Assembly on your behalf.

By using NBC you can have peace of mind that any solution we recommend is effective, legal and humane and will safeguard your commercial activities.

Talk to your local NBC bird control team for advice or to book a bird control survey by calling freephone 0333 567 2020.